Soul Summoning Sword

Chapter 15: Unity of Body and Soul (5)

“Did you sleep well?”

Yeon Sohye entered with a bright smile, as if nothing had happened.

“Hehe! This place is intense. Even within the same Cold Wolf Sect, no—within the Shadow Moon Unit—you have to be careful even when talking. How are we supposed to talk to anyone like this?”

Gugwi gave a faint smile as he replied.

“I told you already.”

Her voice lowered.

“In that case, you’re allowed to kill.”

She stepped closer.

“You especially need to be cautious. Since you said you won’t use the Flowing Sword of the Manifest Spirit, you’ll have to use the Flying Swallow Slash…”

Her eyes pierced through Gugwi.

“If someone who knows the Flowing Sword of the Manifest Spirit sees the Flying Swallow Slash, it’ll be a problem. They’ll find out that you have more than one Spirit Union spirit.”

She lightly twirled her dagger.

“Don’t forget—in the Cold Wolf Sect, we’re only allowed to make contact with one spirit.”

Gugwi’s heart pounded. He firmly pressed his lips together.

“I’ll be more careful.”

“You misunderstood. What I meant was—if you fight, you must kill your opponent.”

Gugwi looked at Yeon Sohye in surprise.

Apparently, the concept of ‘fellow disciple’ worked very differently within the Shadow Moon Unit.

“Don’t forget. Anyone in the Shadow Moon Unit can be an enemy. Anyway… things aren’t looking good. We’ll probably get busy soon. I want to prepare everything I can before that happens. Can we move ahead with the training faster?”

“Training?”

“Follow me.”

Yeon Sohye walked ahead.

The Cold Wolf Sect’s prison was buried deep underground, as if hiding the heart of darkness.

The further they descended the spiral staircase, the more the damp scent of earth, the musty smell of mold, and the fishy stench of stagnant water stung their noses.

The darkness gradually consumed them.

Torches on the walls flickered uncertainly, casting faint light.

“The ones locked up here aren’t ordinary criminals.”

Yeon Sohye spoke.

“They’re early-stage spirit-possessed… the kind of lunatics the world calls ‘possessed by ghosts.’”

Their eyes were hollow, and their bodies twisted like puppets controlled by spirits.

Yeon Sohye stopped in front of a rusted iron door.

“This is where we train to kill.”

“To kill? People?”

“No matter how much you train, if you can’t strike at a person, it’s just swinging your sword in the air.”

Her voice sank low.

“You’ve already killed someone, so you understand the fear. But you still need to hone your combat instincts.”

“You train by killing people? Human life… isn’t a toy.”

“You decide for yourself. If you don’t want to kill, then don’t. If you think you should kill, then do. Once you go in, you’re on your own. Make your own judgment. Move on your own.”

She paused.

“For your information… our hands never dry of blood.”

Click! Creak!

She pushed the solitary cell door. The screech of scraping metal echoed through the prison.

“Go in.”

She shoved Gugwi inside.

Darkness rushed in and enveloped Gugwi’s body.

“Not even a tip?”

“Soul-Summoners are always alone. Don’t expect to ask anyone anything. We’ll send in one early-stage spirit-possessed. Decide what to do after you meet them.”

Yeon Sohye’s voice came through the door.

“I just told you—judge on your own, act on your own. Killing is part of that. It’s your decision.”

Gugwi narrowed his eyes.

“So they’re early-stage, but already corrupted. The people locked in here.”

“Judge that for yourself too.”

“Can I use the Illusory Name Command?”

Yeon Sohye nodded.

“There’s no one else here. Use it if you want.”

Her voice cooled.

The door slammed shut, and thick darkness filled the solitary cell.

“Hm!”

Gugwi steadied his breathing.

An early-stage possessed one… Was he supposed to meet them and do something? Extract the spirit? Return them to normal? Though he had trained in Soul-Summoning Arts, he wasn’t yet capable of something like that.

A lone torch flickered on the wall.

At that moment, the door opened again, and someone was shoved inside.

Their eyes were hollow. Like a deep well, they absorbed the light ominously.

Their body trembled unnaturally. As if a spirit was distorting their muscles, the movements of their limbs were bizarre.

“Crrk!”

The early-stage possessed twisted their lips grotesquely upon seeing Gugwi. A low groan leaked out.

It didn’t take deep spiritual perception to realize this person wasn’t normal.

Without realizing, Gugwi gripped his sword. It was an instinctive wariness felt when confronting someone possessed.

But he soon calmed himself. He closed his eyes and opened the Gate of the Realm of the Threshold. In a half-dream state, a chill brushed his cheek. His consciousness seeped into the darkness.

“First, I need to make contact with the spirit…”

He whispered. His qi center trembled faintly.

“How do I resonate?”

He recalled the Soul Resonance Technique. Spirits slumbering in tomb-like places had no defenses. Their souls were open, making communication through resonance easy.

But spirits possessing a living body were different. They hid behind the soul of the original owner. The soul of the early-stage possessed was being crushed beneath the spirit’s shadow.

Shhk! Thump!

The spirit used the body as a shield, repelling Gugwi’s attempt at resonance. Contact was impossible.

‘There’s definitely something inside. But…’

Gugwi took a deep breath and delved deeper into the Realm of the Threshold. A surge of heat rose from his qi center.

He attempted the Illusory Name Command.

“Who are you?”

Rather than call a name, he sent a question into the darkness.

Of course, there was no reply. Without forming resonance, he couldn’t see the spirit. So its silence was expected. Without knowing its name, he couldn’t use the Illusory Name Command.

‘So the living body is indeed a barrier. It’s protecting the hidden spirit inside. This is troublesome.’

Sweat beaded on Gugwi’s forehead.

The Soul Resonance Technique didn’t work. The spirit had hidden behind the early-stage possessed’s soul and was suppressing their consciousness. The Illusory Name Command didn’t activate. Without knowing the spirit’s name, he couldn’t pull it into the Realm of the Threshold.

Then—

“Screeeech!”

The early-stage possessed suddenly roared. At the same time, their fingernails grew long.

The spirit’s energy filled the solitary cell.

Srrng!

Gugwi instinctively drew his sword.

Yeon Sohye’s words echoed in his mind.

‘Whether you kill or save, it’s your choice.’

Only now did the meaning of those words become clear.

This sealed room, a space with only the two of them. It was a matter he had to decide on his own.

He had to remove or expel the evil spirit that had possessed the early-stage possessed.

If that was impossible… would he have to kill?

The early-stage possessed’s body moved unnaturally. The evil spirit was manipulating his muscles. Then suddenly, the early-stage possessed charged. His elongated claws aimed for Gugwi’s chest.

Shweeck! Shwik!

Gugwi swung his sword. Flying Swallow Slash.

The blade sliced the air. Sparks flew as claws clashed with steel.

“Hup!”

Gugwi exhaled sharply as he stepped back.

The evil spirit’s strength surpassed Gugwi’s martial arts. It was a powerful attack, like when a Soul-Summoner used a spirit’s martial arts. To counter this force, Gugwi would have to fully summon General Madal.

He awakened his qi center.

“Madal!”

Spirit Contact. General Madal’s energy enveloped his body, and his sword grew heavier.

‘I don’t have the skill to extract or separate a spirit. That means I’m supposed to kill this person…’

He raised his sword, aiming at the early-stage possessed’s neck. At that moment, the figure slid to the side. From the darkness, claws suddenly swiped at Gugwi’s arm.

Fwoosh!

Blood seeped out. He gritted his teeth.

The early-stage possessed charged again. This time, the speed was far beyond anything before.

Shwreeek!

The claws grazed Gugwi’s blade. The sound of metal scraping echoed through the cell.

‘Such power… No, this is martial arts!’

Gugwi’s eyes turned cold. General Madal’s aura intensified around him.

Suddenly, the atmosphere shifted.

Gugwi’s swordsmanship transformed completely. He was still using the Flying Swallow Slash, but it was no longer the same technique. The wild and deadly sword energy swept through the cell.

Battlefield martial arts!

It was the swordsmanship of the battlefield where General Madal had fought his whole life.

A killing sword that did not stop until the enemy or the wielder died.

The early-stage possessed backed away. A strange energy surged from his body. Then—

“Damn you, Buddha!”

A blasphemous shout erupted.

At the same time, the early-stage possessed’s movements changed. They were no longer clumsy. A refined and powerful martial art unfolded.

Shaolin martial arts!

A powerful palm wind flew toward Gugwi. The first technique of the Great Compassion Hand.

Gugwi swung his sword to block the wind. But he couldn’t withstand the impact and was pushed back repeatedly.

“You bastard…”

Gugwi’s eyes gleamed.

General Madal’s energy exploded. The killing intent of someone who had slain hundreds on the battlefield filled the cell.

Flying Swallow Slash: Hundred Swallow Demon Slash!

Gugwi’s sword carved a ruthless path. A sword technique that targeted only the opponent’s life.

The early-stage possessed joined his palms and blocked.

Diamond Invincibility. The highest level of Shaolin’s outer arts.

But General Madal’s sword was different. It broke through the Diamond Invincibility and drove inward.

Screeeech!

He could feel the sensation of slicing through the opponent’s external technique at his fingertips.

In a flash, the sword grazed the early-stage possessed’s shoulder and drew blood. A blow that rendered one arm unusable.

“How dare you!”

The early-stage possessed roared in fury. His voice had completely changed.

“You dare strike me—Hye Gong!”

In that moment, Gugwi’s eyes lit up.

‘Hye Gong!’

He immediately activated the Illusory Name Command.

“Hye Gong!”

His shout rang through the solitary cell. The power of the Realm of the Threshold exploded. Darkness surged instantly.

“Kraaah!”

Black energy erupted from the early-stage possessed’s body. It writhed like a venomous serpent, revealing its form in midair. No, it was being pulled into the Realm of the Threshold where Gugwi resided.

A bald, middle-aged man in monk’s robes.

But his face was that of a demon. A visage twisted by greed and hatred.

“This… this can’t be!”

Hye Gong’s spirit struggled not to be pulled into the Realm of the Threshold. But he couldn’t resist. His flailing was meaningless. A powerful force dragged him in.

In an instant, the surroundings changed.

Within the darkness, a faint light enveloped Hye Gong.

He was no longer a physical being. He floated as a hazy soul.

“You… how…?”

Hye Gong gnashed his teeth.

“One hundred and twenty years… After living as an evil spirit for 120 years… you, a mere brat, dare…?”

Gugwi spoke in a cold voice.

“Don’t leave this place. Don’t covet a human body.”

It was a simple statement. Words Gugwi wished to say to the spirit named Hye Gong. What he hoped for.

But within the Realm of the Threshold, his words carried a different weight.

They were simple words, yet… they became absolute commands that crushed Hye Gong.

“Kraaah!”

Hye Gong screamed. His form began to dissipate.

“No… I still…”

Before he could finish his final words, Hye Gong’s spirit shattered into pieces.

Only the collapsed early-stage possessed remained in the cell.

He looked around with a blank expression. His once-empty eyes now held awareness.

“Wh… where am I? Why… why am I here…?”

He asked in a trembling voice.

He had no memory of what had happened to him.

Gugwi sheathed his sword and exhaled deeply.

‘Hye Gong… He must have been a Shaolin monk. How did he end up becoming an evil spirit…?’

The spirit was gone.

Completely.